An online journal by Angie Lomas.

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Flavor and Color.

13 “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

14-16 “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

Flavor and color. These are two things that I know quite well. An obvious, undeniable fact is that I enjoy eating. Ok, I enjoy it a lot. I love to eat. A juicy piece of roast, the crispy taste of fried chicken or even the saltiness of a McDonald’s french fry makes my mouth water. Just the thought of those flavors makes me want to eat. I dont think eating would be such a huge thing if food was flavorless. Eating is obviously a frenzy, a craze in America these days. But think about food without flavor. Yuck! We would be eating out of duty just to sustain ourselves. God says we’re the salt of the earth. The seasoning that flavors the world. It’s those seasonings that should make people hungry to experience the flavors of God. Flavor is what makes food good, enjoyable, worth eating. God is what makes life good, enjoyable, worth living. As Christians we are to live our lives in such a way that makes people hunger after God.

Color is another thing that I know well. As an artist, I know the effects of color, the power of color, the beauty of color. I also know the importance of light on a subject, because the light placed on the subject can bring out the strengths and weaknesses of that object. Color, in the best light, can be stunning, attractive, and inspiring. But in bad light those same colors can look dull, dim, and disappointing. God names himself as the colors of the earth…the colors of life. We as Christians are called to be the light of the world! But as I began thinking about this, I thought about levels of light. It would be easy sometimes if there were only two levels of light: on and off. But there arent. There’s dim light, bright light, medium light, high light, low light and an array of levels in between. As an artist, I know that color is at its highest extent of beauty when it’s in a good, strong, healthy bright light. God is the same way, as he describes himself as the colors of the earth. There are Christians who portray God in a “bad light.” As the strict, rule-making, harsh judge who is just out to catch you doing wrong. But there are others who show God in a “good light” as a loving, freedom giving, passionate, life giving God. There are obviously many other ways that Christians can portray God, but the point has been made.

I love flavor, and I love color. And if God calls Himself the flavor and color of the world, I want to be the enhanser that brings out the best flavors and best colors of God to the people around me. We are here to enhanse God, to make life enjoyable for those around us because we draw out the goodness of God. We are here to glorify him, not to bring glory to ourselves. If we fail to do that, we arent needed. End of story. Lets be the kind of Christians who live life genuinely, that cause others to be desperate after God. Who cause others to “hunger and thirst for righteousness.” Who cause others to desire to “see the beauty of the Lord.” Lets live life as God meant us to live it.

Its not a bad title to be called the salt and light of the world, but I choose to see it as a challenge to Christians to live life in order to enhance the colors and flavors of God! I can’t think of a better job description!